1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ice dispenser and, more particularly, to operational control of an agitator in an ice storage compartment of an ice dispenser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in this type of ice dispenser, an agitator is installed in an ice storage compartment and actuated periodically in order to prevent pieces of ice in the ice storage compartment from melting and sticking to each other to form a large chunk of ice so as to interfere with smooth dispensing of the ice, and to prevent deterioration of ice quality. This is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-27033.
In the case of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-27033, when the ice storage compartment becomes full, the ice making operation is stopped and a timer simultaneously starts counting to rotate a fin (agitator) for agitating each time a set time passes. In this type of ice dispenser, the agitating fin is also actuated when ice is released. Further, in the control of the agitating fin in the conventional art described in the foregoing publication, the timer is not reset when the agitating fin is operated for the release of the ice. Therefore, immediately after the ice is released and the agitating fin is operated during a halt in the ice making operation, the timer count reaches a set count value, causing the agitating fin to operate again. However, where the interval for operating the agitating fin is shorter than necessary and the agitating fin is operated as in the above case, ice tends to melt due to the frictional heat of the agitating fin. Hence, conditions are created in which fusion of the ice will easily occur. Consequently, up until now fusion of ice could not be sufficiently prevented.